When I read biographies of people who’ve had an impact on society, I’m always amazed. Their journeys were full of extreme highs and lows that most people aren’t aware of. Somehow, they hung on through the tough times and accomplished something great. The ability to do that is rare, and it stands out. I characterize it as perseverance, and I think the relatively few people who make it big all have it.

The early days of building CCAW were tough. I had no help, the financial crisis was full blown, and there was so much I didn’t know. There were stretches where everything would go wrong. No matter what I did, things blew up in my face. I believed in what I was trying to do, but I’m only human. It became more difficult to keep pushing through failures. When I struggled, I’d try to take a pause to clear my head. The gym was usually my escape. I’d blow off steam there and think about things unrelated to work. It was a mental reset of sorts. The next day I’d get back to work with a fresh mind. That helped.

In my opinion, perseverance isn’t a common trait. Failure hurts, and most people don’t want to experience that pain repeatedly. I think that’s why most people don’t carry on through tough times and keep going. When they fail, they regroup and avoid paths that could end in more failure.

I’m thankful that I pushed through some of my early pain at CCAW. With the help of others, I went on to accomplish some great things and learn more about myself than I have from any other experience in my life. It wasn’t always fun, but I’m glad I didn’t give up.

The next time you face a setback and aren’t sure how to proceed, remember that perseverance precedes greatness!